January 26, 2025

The Look-Good, Taste-Good Style of Antonio Tate, the Sneakerhead Chef

"I'm a creative, so I'm big on style."

Writer:
Words by
David Cook
Photographer:
Photography by
Sarah Unger

Food as a verb thanks

Pruett's

for sponsoring this series

Watching Antonio Tate prepare a meal is like stepping into a cooking show. A well-dressed cooking show.

There's savvy and style, head-to-toe, pan-to-plate.

"Here's a little green to brighten it up," he said, tweezer-ing radish micro-greens onto a plate of smoked tuna pate resting on puff pastries. "These are radish micro-greens are here for color. I want to hit those taste buds."

"Plus," he continued, "micro-greens are so good for you."

Know what else is good for you?

"I'm a creative," he said, "so I'm big on style."

Antonio is the owner of Party Bites Kitchen & Catering + Events, a downtown Chattanooga catering company peaking right now with clients, a new website and an outdoor space ready for warm weather.

Antonio also calls himself "The Sneakerhead Chef", mixing style with flavor on his plates with Guccis and Jordans on his feet.

He loves food.

He loves shoes.

So, why not combine them?

"Immerse yourself in the delectable blend of cuisine and couture," he says on his Sneakerhead Chef podcast. "From sneaker elegance to delectable gastronomical dialogue, our mission is to ignite your passions and your appetite, both in your footwear choices and your culinary pursuits."

Taste good.

Look good.

When we arrived at Onion Bottom Station - the east 11th Street neighborhood that mixes Burlaep Print + Press, iFixit, factories and industry, Mission Chattanooga, the Times Free Press, college housing, soup kitchens and homeless shelters - he was ready.

Guccis on his feet, Antonio had already lit a solo burner on the counter - nearby, plates of salmon, oysters Rockefeller, asparagus, fingerling potatoes - which, again, felt like we walked into a cooking show.

He's moving and talking and cooking in this seamless, smooth, entertaining way.

"Here's a tip for salmon," he said. "Start with a cold pan."

He's expansive and versatile. As he plated six asparagus stalks laid criss-cross, we mentally reviewed his menu, which stretches to nearly 150 items.

Want smoked gouda mac+cheese? How about a coffee bar with waffles and OJ spritzers? An Asian bowl? Southern charcuterie? Lunch party for vegans?

Happy hour antipasto skewers? How about Mediterranean Pork Tenderloin Sliders with shrimp taco bites and falafel with a cheesecake kicker?

"We can do it all," he said.

The Sneakerhead Chef turns 45 soon. The same year Jordan met Barkley in the Finals, a 13-year-old Antonio began cooking in his dad's Gumbo-to-Go joint in Michigan, of all places, then began managing Steak-n-Shakes, Zaxby's and McDonald's in Charlotte before moving to Chattanooga to serve hundreds of parishioners at a local church.

Today? Antonio owns Party Bites, a catering company that serves weddings, birthdays, any party you can think of, coffee bars and the slam dunk: corporate clients.

In 2020, Party Bites began officially taking corporate clients. Orders and clients have steadily increased. Last year?

"It would probably be in the 1100s," he said.

For us, Antonio Tate had made a damn good lunch for three. (Check out his Facebook reel of our time together.)

"Thank you, man," he said.

Ahh, look how gorgeous it was.

Puff pastries and smoked tuna.

Asparagus.

Oysters Rockefeller.

Salmon and fingerling potatoes.

He made shrimp.

Served and plated with style.

But, could you do this for 800 people?

"Oh yeah," he said. "800? No problem at all."

Three years ago, Antonio had stopped by the former Dixie Produce, shopping for an event. Noticed a construction crew working across the street, a demo + reno job. Poked his head in. It was a cold winter's day, just like today.

"He showed me around," he said. "Oh man, I was in love."

So, he made an offer.

Today, Antotnio and wife Onteaya Tate have renovated the space into a welcoming plant-based atmosphere - literally, we count two dozen potted plants - along with a menu built on a growing consciousness around health and bodies.

"My wife reversed a Type II diabetes diagnosis through eating," he said.

The Tates are a (healthy) power couple. His catering company and her Green Bean Coffee Co. - launched after her plant-based diet reversed her diagnosis - are both teeming with possibility.

Their East 11th Street location combines his Party Bites kitchen with her Green Bean Co. cafe. Plus, a courtyard and indoor event space. They also make and sell their own Chai simple syrup.

Behind their counter? An industrial-strength kitchen with even larger storage space that felt like a small Costco. (Catering involves everything: from no-slip carpets to heaters to thousands of spoons and forks. One shelf alone had a half-dozen mixers.)

Six days a week, he caters two corporate clients and two recovery centers. Party Bites employs eight people, with Kubota and Mohawk as regular clients.

"A lot of corporations are serving their employees," he said. "There's a need out there."

Several needs, actually.

Antonio grew up in Michigan with a father who was both biochemist and restaurateur.

"He taught me food was chemistry," he said.

A shared fascination with Gullah Geechee culture and impressionable trips to New Orleans, the uplift of gumbo on the tongue as the Mississippi flowed by. Antonio was being prepared for a career.

Onteana? They fell in love, making their way to Chattanooga.

"As believers, servitude is huge for us," he said. "To bless people through our food."

To use food, they have to know food. So, they travel: quarterly in the region. Twice a year, internationally.

"The oldest restaurant in the world is in Madrid," he said. (Yep. Recent trip.) St. Lucia, Ghana, Thailand, all on the calendar.

The couple also launched BEBOP - Building Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Professionals - as a way to encourage small business owners.

"Like an AA meeting for entrepreneurs," he said.

"We know what it took for us to be here. We want to give that to people."

We finish our lunch. I have to ask: when did you fall in love with sneaker culture?

"Growing up, we were middle class, but we couldn’t afford Jordans," he said.

So, as his career got sturdy, his hobby began.

"I started dabbling in Jordans," he said.

Today, he's got close to 100 pairs of shoes. His first?

"White Jordan 1 Chicagos," he said. "Now, I have a second pair. Dead stock."

He stands, Guccis on his feet, corporate orders to prepare and a new Sneakerhead Chef podcast to produce.

"I love shoes," he said. "Dressing good, feeling good."

And eating good.

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in partnering with us? Email: david@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.

food as a verb thanks our sustaining partner:

food as a verb thanks our story sponsor:

Pruett's

X

keep reading

February 13, 2025
read more
February 9, 2025
read more

Watching Antonio Tate prepare a meal is like stepping into a cooking show. A well-dressed cooking show.

There's savvy and style, head-to-toe, pan-to-plate.

"Here's a little green to brighten it up," he said, tweezer-ing radish micro-greens onto a plate of smoked tuna pate resting on puff pastries. "These are radish micro-greens are here for color. I want to hit those taste buds."

"Plus," he continued, "micro-greens are so good for you."

Know what else is good for you?

"I'm a creative," he said, "so I'm big on style."

Antonio is the owner of Party Bites Kitchen & Catering + Events, a downtown Chattanooga catering company peaking right now with clients, a new website and an outdoor space ready for warm weather.

Antonio also calls himself "The Sneakerhead Chef", mixing style with flavor on his plates with Guccis and Jordans on his feet.

He loves food.

He loves shoes.

So, why not combine them?

"Immerse yourself in the delectable blend of cuisine and couture," he says on his Sneakerhead Chef podcast. "From sneaker elegance to delectable gastronomical dialogue, our mission is to ignite your passions and your appetite, both in your footwear choices and your culinary pursuits."

Taste good.

Look good.

When we arrived at Onion Bottom Station - the east 11th Street neighborhood that mixes Burlaep Print + Press, iFixit, factories and industry, Mission Chattanooga, the Times Free Press, college housing, soup kitchens and homeless shelters - he was ready.

Guccis on his feet, Antonio had already lit a solo burner on the counter - nearby, plates of salmon, oysters Rockefeller, asparagus, fingerling potatoes - which, again, felt like we walked into a cooking show.

He's moving and talking and cooking in this seamless, smooth, entertaining way.

"Here's a tip for salmon," he said. "Start with a cold pan."

He's expansive and versatile. As he plated six asparagus stalks laid criss-cross, we mentally reviewed his menu, which stretches to nearly 150 items.

Want smoked gouda mac+cheese? How about a coffee bar with waffles and OJ spritzers? An Asian bowl? Southern charcuterie? Lunch party for vegans?

Happy hour antipasto skewers? How about Mediterranean Pork Tenderloin Sliders with shrimp taco bites and falafel with a cheesecake kicker?

"We can do it all," he said.

The Sneakerhead Chef turns 45 soon. The same year Jordan met Barkley in the Finals, a 13-year-old Antonio began cooking in his dad's Gumbo-to-Go joint in Michigan, of all places, then began managing Steak-n-Shakes, Zaxby's and McDonald's in Charlotte before moving to Chattanooga to serve hundreds of parishioners at a local church.

Today? Antonio owns Party Bites, a catering company that serves weddings, birthdays, any party you can think of, coffee bars and the slam dunk: corporate clients.

In 2020, Party Bites began officially taking corporate clients. Orders and clients have steadily increased. Last year?

"It would probably be in the 1100s," he said.

For us, Antonio Tate had made a damn good lunch for three. (Check out his Facebook reel of our time together.)

"Thank you, man," he said.

Ahh, look how gorgeous it was.

Puff pastries and smoked tuna.

Asparagus.

Oysters Rockefeller.

Salmon and fingerling potatoes.

He made shrimp.

Served and plated with style.

But, could you do this for 800 people?

"Oh yeah," he said. "800? No problem at all."

Three years ago, Antonio had stopped by the former Dixie Produce, shopping for an event. Noticed a construction crew working across the street, a demo + reno job. Poked his head in. It was a cold winter's day, just like today.

"He showed me around," he said. "Oh man, I was in love."

So, he made an offer.

Today, Antotnio and wife Onteaya Tate have renovated the space into a welcoming plant-based atmosphere - literally, we count two dozen potted plants - along with a menu built on a growing consciousness around health and bodies.

"My wife reversed a Type II diabetes diagnosis through eating," he said.

The Tates are a (healthy) power couple. His catering company and her Green Bean Coffee Co. - launched after her plant-based diet reversed her diagnosis - are both teeming with possibility.

Their East 11th Street location combines his Party Bites kitchen with her Green Bean Co. cafe. Plus, a courtyard and indoor event space. They also make and sell their own Chai simple syrup.

Behind their counter? An industrial-strength kitchen with even larger storage space that felt like a small Costco. (Catering involves everything: from no-slip carpets to heaters to thousands of spoons and forks. One shelf alone had a half-dozen mixers.)

Six days a week, he caters two corporate clients and two recovery centers. Party Bites employs eight people, with Kubota and Mohawk as regular clients.

"A lot of corporations are serving their employees," he said. "There's a need out there."

Several needs, actually.

Antonio grew up in Michigan with a father who was both biochemist and restaurateur.

"He taught me food was chemistry," he said.

A shared fascination with Gullah Geechee culture and impressionable trips to New Orleans, the uplift of gumbo on the tongue as the Mississippi flowed by. Antonio was being prepared for a career.

Onteana? They fell in love, making their way to Chattanooga.

"As believers, servitude is huge for us," he said. "To bless people through our food."

To use food, they have to know food. So, they travel: quarterly in the region. Twice a year, internationally.

"The oldest restaurant in the world is in Madrid," he said. (Yep. Recent trip.) St. Lucia, Ghana, Thailand, all on the calendar.

The couple also launched BEBOP - Building Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Professionals - as a way to encourage small business owners.

"Like an AA meeting for entrepreneurs," he said.

"We know what it took for us to be here. We want to give that to people."

We finish our lunch. I have to ask: when did you fall in love with sneaker culture?

"Growing up, we were middle class, but we couldn’t afford Jordans," he said.

So, as his career got sturdy, his hobby began.

"I started dabbling in Jordans," he said.

Today, he's got close to 100 pairs of shoes. His first?

"White Jordan 1 Chicagos," he said. "Now, I have a second pair. Dead stock."

He stands, Guccis on his feet, corporate orders to prepare and a new Sneakerhead Chef podcast to produce.

"I love shoes," he said. "Dressing good, feeling good."

And eating good.

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in partnering with us? Email: david@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.

Food as a verb thanks our story sponsor:

Food as a Verb Thanks our sustaining partner:

keep reading

February 12, 2025
READ MORE
February 9, 2025
READ MORE
February 12, 2025
READ MORE
February 9, 2025
READ MORE
February 5, 2025
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Regional Farmers' Markets

Brainerd Farmers' Market
Saturday, 10am - noon
Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave, Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga Market
Sunday, 11am - 4pm
1820 Carter Street
Dunlap Farmers' Market
Every Saturday morning, spring through fall, from 9am to 1pm central.
Harris Park, 91 Walnut St., Dunlap, TN
Fresh Mess Market
Every Thursday, 3pm - 6pm, beg. June 6 - Oct. 3
Harton Park, Monteagle, TN. (Rain location: Monteagle Fire Hall.)
Main Street Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 4 - 6pm
Corner of W. 20th and Chestnut St., near Finley Stadium
Ooltewah Farmers' Market
The Ooltewah Nursery, Thursday, 3 - 6pm
5829 Main Street Ooltewah, TN 37363
Rabbit Valley Farmers' Market
Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, mid-May to mid-October.
96 Depot Street Ringgold, GA 30736
South Cumberland Farmers' Market
Tuesdays from 4:15 to 6:00 p.m. (central.) Order online by Monday 10 am (central.)
Sewanee Community Center (behind the Sewanee Market on Ball Park Rd.)
St. Alban's Farmers' Market
Saturday, 9.30am - 12.30pm with a free pancake breakfast every third Saturday
7514 Hixson Pike
Walker County Farmers' Market - Sat
Saturday, 9 am - 1 pm
Downtown Lafayette, Georgia
Walker County Farmers' Market - Wed
Wednesday, 2 - 5 pm
Rock Spring Ag. Center